Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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41. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the membership of the implementation group overseeing the delivery of the national social enterprise policy; the number of times the group has met; the terms of reference of the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43827/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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On 19 July this year, I published Ireland’s first ever National Social Enterprise Policy which aims to create an enabling environment for social enterprise to grow and contribute to Ireland’s social and economic progress.

The Policy sets out 26 Measures for delivery, including a commitment to establish a National Social Enterprise Policy Implementation Group. The Group will be chaired by my Department, with representation from other relevant Government Departments, public bodies, and social enterprise stakeholders. The Implementation Group will be a key vehicle to oversee the delivery of the Policy.

I am determined to ensure that the voice and experience of social enterprise is strongly represented on the Implementation Group and the composition of the Group reflects a balance of public bodies and social enterprise stakeholders.

Apart from seeking nominations to the Group from specific social enterprise and community representative organisations, two of the seats have been reserved for an open call for expressions of interest from practitioners or persons involved in supporting social enterprise or social entrepreneurship.  Expressions of interest have also been sought for a seat reserved for a Higher Education Institution active in the area of social enterprise.

The closing date for expressions of interest is 30 October 2019 and I expect that the Group will hold its first meeting by the middle of November.

The full composition and draft Terms of Reference for the Implementation Group are available at: .